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EQ'ing 101

all is going well and its been 2 years since i started spinning. ive got the beatmatching and phrase matching down now but i still need to do some polishing on the EQing. anyone have any tips on how to do this properly. any help would be greatly appreciated.

My opinion is that you never really have to mess with EQ much unless the two tracks are fighting with each other which can be the case even when they're in key, so adjusting EQ acordingly. Gains and lows are mainly what i mess with.

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My opinion is that you never really have to mess with EQ much unless the two tracks are fighting with each other which can be the case even when they're in key, so adjusting EQ acordingly. Gains and lows are mainly what i mess with.

Not true. The amount of required EQing will differ according to the format you use. Vinyl requires more EQing since different records are pressed at different levels, but that's not to say that digital files don't require EQing. It comes down to each track...EQing, in a nutshell, is adjusting the proper frequencies to match the overall level of output relative to the main volume.
In key or not, every transition requires some sort of EQing because the aural nature of each track is completely different. Think of your overall sound outout as a box, and your EQing is keeping every frequency within that box, making sure nothing stabs or sticks out.

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Originally posted by dJohn Not true. The amount of required EQing will differ according to the format you use. Vinyl requires more EQing since different records are pressed at different levels, but that's not to say that digital files don't require EQing. It comes down to each track...EQing, in a nutshell, is adjusting the proper frequencies to match the overall level of output relative to the main volume. In key or not, every transition requires some sort of EQing because the aural nature of each track is completely different. Think of your overall sound outout as a box, and your EQing is keeping every frequency within that box, making sure nothing stabs or sticks out.

Your right, and there is no right or wrong way of doing things, just comes down to what sounds the best. Cutting too much high or mid tends to bring the life out of a song to my ears, thats why i tend to stay away from messing with them too much.

For records pressed at different levels you just need to adjust the gain. You aren't going to remaster a finished song with a three band EQ.

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For records pressed at different levels you just need to adjust the gain. You aren't going to remaster a finished song with a three band EQ.

Again, not true! Different mixers+different needles+different master levels of vinyl = different frequency responses. While I totally agree that 3 band EQing won't remaster a song(which I never said), the gain alone won't do the job either. It might make the most noticeable difference, but 3+ band EQing is ultimatley neccessary to adjust the levels properly,not just the gain.

Hope this helps.

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Originally posted by dJohn but 3+ band EQing is ultimatley neccessary to adjust the levels properly

Not true,

If your tweeking your highs and mids frequently to adjust your levels "properly" you must not be mixing the right tunes together, and or not mixing in key.

I kinda see where he is coming from but I don't think a poorly pressed track will sound good if you boost the mids or the highs or the bass a little etc... True needles all sound different some have punchy mids some have deeper bass some have very crisp highs. And that is why you choose the one you prefer better because they all sound different. But in most cases records are mastered to be played with the EQs at 12 o'clock.

All true, but you should be able to mix without gain controls or EQ's...
they just make life easier, and your mixing a bit smoother.

OK,

that's all good. But the guy wants to know the technique you guys use to EQ. Not whether or not it's necessary.

How do you guys EQ BASS, TREBLE, MID, in a very noisy 110dB+ environment?

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Originally posted by Ryan0751 All true, but you should be able to mix without gain controls or EQ's... they just make life easier, and your mixing a lot smoother.

Fixed.

NOT TRUE!

sorry...just felt like saying that

There is something truly satisfying about playing on a rotary mixer with no eq's, and pulling of a completely seemless mix without EQ's...

If smoothness is REALLY what you're going for, get an A+H mixer with filters. They are great for mixing!

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Originally posted by JMorris Fixed.

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Originally posted by Ryan0751 There is something truly satisfying about playing on a rotary mixer with no eq's, and pulling of a completely seemless mix without EQ's... If smoothness is REALLY what you're going for, get an A+H mixer with filters. They are great for mixing!

I was going to say the exact same thing about filters, but i have yet to ever use any they would be so useful for the way i mix (i think). Man i can't wait to get a xone 92

Yeah you can just roll off the frequencies right up or down, and when there's just a little bit of the outgoing track left you crank up the resonance to emphasize it... very nice indeed.

Skip the 92 and get the V6, high pass filter on every channel It's only like $6000.

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Originally posted by starboy I was going to say the exact same thing about filters, but i have yet to ever use any they would be so useful for the way i mix (i think). Man i can't wait to get a xone 92

Ill take both, plus a rotory like yours

You should make some more mix vids, those were nice!

Re: EQ'ing 101

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Originally posted by hiram all is going well and its been 2 years since i started spinning. ive got the beatmatching and phrase matching down now but i still need to do some polishing on the EQing. anyone have any tips on how to do this properly. any help would be greatly appreciated.

I'm no pro but this is how I do it. I usally turn my Gains up between 1-2 o'clock. That also depends on the track and how it was produced, of coarse. Then I take and turn the Lows around 10 o'clock. Turn the Mids between 10-11 o'clock. Turn the Highs a little slighty higher than the Mids @ around 11 o'clock. What I noticed when I started to eq like this that my mixes had alot more punch to them. They did not sound drowned by the Lows, and they had a nice clear sound to them. I use to eq with everything at around 12 o'clock, and I would listen to my mix that I recorded and it always sounded like the Lows were drowning the rest of the track out, and since I started eqing like this my mixes have sounded alot cleaner. But, this is just my way of doing it. Like I said, I'm no pro, I've only been at it around three years now.


Rock On, (I should also add that I slightly touch +1 db, trying not to go over)

Mike

Re: Re: EQ'ing 101

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Originally posted by Michael May I'm no pro but this is how I do it. I usally turn my Gains up between 1-2 o'clock. That also depends on the track and how it was produced, of coarse. Then I take and turn the Lows around 10 o'clock. Turn the Mids between 10-11 o'clock. Turn the Highs a little slighty higher than the Mids @ around 11 o'clock. What I noticed when I started to eq like this that my mixes had alot more punch to them. They did not sound drowned by the Lows, and they had a nice clear sound to them. I use to eq with everything at around 12 o'clock, and I would listen to my mix that I recorded and it always sounded like the Lows were drowning the rest of the track out, and since I started eqing like this my mixes have sounded alot cleaner. But, this is just my way of doing it. Like I said, I'm no pro, I've only been at it around three years now. Rock On, (I should also add that I slightly touch +1 db, trying not to go over) Mike

I just tried this and the result is great, thanks for sharing

Re: Re: Re: EQ'ing 101

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Originally posted by starboy I just tried this and the result is great, thanks for sharing

I'm glad I can give back a little. If it were'nt for these boards and the people on them I would be pretty lost and not even close to where I am at now.


Mike

Thats a cool way to bring out the mids and highs. When using an EQ it is better to cut instead of boost.

Re: Re: EQ'ing 101

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Originally posted by Michael May I'm no pro but this is how I do it. I usally turn my Gains up between 1-2 o'clock. That also depends on the track and how it was produced, of coarse. Then I take and turn the Lows around 10 o'clock. Turn the Mids between 10-11 o'clock. Turn the Highs a little slighty higher than the Mids @ around 11 o'clock. What I noticed when I started to eq like this that my mixes had alot more punch to them. They did not sound drowned by the Lows, and they had a nice clear sound to them. I use to eq with everything at around 12 o'clock, and I would listen to my mix that I recorded and it always sounded like the Lows were drowning the rest of the track out, and since I started eqing like this my mixes have sounded alot cleaner. But, this is just my way of doing it. Like I said, I'm no pro, I've only been at it around three years now. Rock On, (I should also add that I slightly touch +1 db, trying not to go over) Mike

Yeah this is the same thing I do when I mix. I mess with the highs and mids, but the lows I have a tendency to leave alone unless the incoming track has a lot of bass, then I bring it to about 10:00 or 11:00 and then gradually bring it to 12:00 and leave it there. The Lows on my Vestax PCV 275 suck.

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Originally posted by i got big pants NOT TRUE! sorry...just felt like saying that

beat me to it

Sometimes you need to EQ the lower Freqs becuase the two kick drums are out of phase (thats just what I call it not sure if its the right term.) when they kind of cancel eachother out. Sometimes if im mixing two tracks in the same key and the one im bringing has alot going on in the mid freqs, ill lower it (before hand) to give the mix more room. What if you have an older record your playing and the hi's are beat to shit you'll want to cut from the newer pressed record so the mix isn't ear piercing noticable. thats how i use it

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